The list of web masters gives you a good start on which to keep building your community.

2. Mailing list.

Join a discussion or mailing list.

These are communities that already exist and discuss topics of interest by e-mail.

The Internet discussion groups may be mailing lists, newsgroups, message boards, chat rooms or IRC type chat channels, to name just a few possibilities.

Seek out moderated type lists as they are loaded with target rich people. And you do not place ads in such groups, you participate.

However, a 2 or 3 line signature on posts is allowed. Some groups even allow larger signatures.

Here are some FREE Resources to find and Join Free Discussion or Mailing Lists:

Liszt - The Mailing List Directory: http://www.liszt.com/

Search The List of Lists: http://catalog.com/vivian/interest-group-search.html

CataList, catalog of 46,902 public LISTSERV lists! http://www.lsoft.com/lists/listref.html

3. Your Signature.

NEVER underestimate power of your signature.

During a one week period, my signature was ONLY form of promotion I used and in just five days we got over 1000 visitors to our unadvertised web site.

How To Use Your Signature: http://emailexchange.org/sig.html

4. Ezines/Newsletters.

Whatever your interest, there probably already exists a network of publications that tap into your community.

Tap into these publications, a few at a time, and you will get an instant pulse on happenings online.

Top 100 Online Newsletters: http://emailexchange.org/newsletters.html

5. Start Your Own Mailing List.

Email is foundation of global communication on Internet.

It is essential to begin your own mailing list of people that AGREE to receive your email.

Perhaps once a week, with a word of interest, you send out a mailing with info directly related to your common interest.

It is important to keep lines of communication open with your community of people.

This gives you a basic "Blue Print" to follow to either begin to establish yourself on Internet or expand on whatever you have already accomplished.

Once you know WHY you want to contact people, then you will know WHO it is you need to communicate with and for WHAT reason.

The basic resources outlined above will give you a strong foundation to discover WHERE to reach that special niche or target audience of yours.

Does that mean you immediately commit to a store and get a merchant account so your customers can pay for their orders - NO. Start your web site, and advertise it heavily. One of better bets is ezines and newsletters that target audience you wish to reach. Try to build a following on your website - consider your own newsletter.

If you are able to get a respectable number of visitors to your web site, or subscribers to your newsletter, you just might have a shot at your online store succeeding. Remember, "Content is King". If you provide good content, you will have return visitors. Return visitors are potential future customers.

Offer freebies, run contests, have guest columnists contribute; these all enhance your site. But forget some of hype you will run across. This does not happen overnight. Once established, will you make money while you sleep - you betcha.

Like any business, you will need a war chest. How much? If you're going to be selling a product, you'll need an inventory. But don't be like person who bought into Equinox (see http://www.mlmwatch.org/06FTC/Equinox/equinoxftc1.html) who has $5,000 worth of junk in their garage they can't sell.

Look for a distributor who will sell in small lots. Sure they will charge a bit more, and you will earn a bit less, but you're not in over your head. If product moves, you can then afford to buy larger lots at a lower price.

You should then know pretty quickly if it is going to work. If it is positive at that point, move to your next level. Open your online store, get merchant status so you can accept credit cards, and move forward.

Above all, use "due diligence" in any venture you take, and you just might avoid "misery" of failure.